Substitutes help Exeter to another victory
EXETER City defender Jake Caprice has said that the atmosphere within the Grecians squad is buzzing after yet another win.
It is now five wins in a row in League Two for Matt Taylor’s men, after Saturday’s 2-1 triumph at home to Carlisle United took them up to second in the table.
In all competitions, it is now a record 20 games without defeat, with 19 since they were beaten at St James Park, and 15 in the league, all the longest current streaks in English football.
And the 29-year-old broke a streak of his own on Saturday as his strike in the second that doubled the lead was the first time he had ever scored in his 322 game senior career.
Jonathan Grounds with a first goal in four and a half years had put Exeter ahead early in the second half, before Caprice on the break drilled home his long-awaited first goal with ten minutes to go – with the pair having both come off the bench.
Jordan Gibson pulled one back late on for the Cumbrians, who had in the first half been reduced to ten men after Jon Mellish’s red card, but the Grecians held on for another win.
“It is a great feeling and the fans can see the atmosphere and that there is a good feel around the place,” Caprice said.
“Twenty unbeaten is a great run and we want to take it to the next game and keep it going. The game was cagey and we had to break them down, so you can’t underestimate that win.
“We have the squad depth, I made an impact, and the squad is strong. Players are making an impact, so in the run of games, we will need everyone, and everyone knows that. It is unbelievable here to see the atmosphere after every game and the fans stay right behind us and hope we are repaying that faith now.”
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Having come close on several occasions this season to breaking his duck, not least at Salford City a few weeks ago when a stoppage time strike came off the post and rebounded in off the luckless goalkeeper, the former Tranmere Rovers man finally notched on Saturday, drilling home from just inside the box having been assisted by Jevani Brown.
“I felt I would get a few this year and luckily got one today,” he said of his goal. “It has been a long time. I have never had so many efforts playing on the left and cutting in on to the right foot so naturally I had more efforts and one gone in today.
“With the feeling in the group, I am confident and hope it’s the first of many really. I will try and keep my little boy up and show him that daddy can score a goal. I am buzzing that it has contributed to a win.”
The win came after a week of controversy following the use of the sixth substitute in the FA Cup replay win over Bradford City on Tuesday – with that replay having to be replayed – but Caprice said that the furore around the outcome hasn’t affected the players too much.
“We are still in the FA Cup and they can’t take the performance away from us,” he said. “The squad played a big part that night and everyone will be needed in this run of games so have to stay focused and ready to play.
“It was a great performance, a great result, and unfortunately whatever happened, happened, but it will take something remarkable to knock us off stride. We will keep going about our business, each game is a new challenge, and hopefully on Tuesday at Colchester we will go and win again.”